We’re right in the middle of Medicare Open Enrollment, which began on October 15 and will end on December 7. Many seniors feel satisfied with their current Medicare plan, so they assume they don’t need to do anything during Open Enrollment. However, that isn’t necessarily true in every case.
Don’t skip Open Enrollment. Medicare administrators can and do make changes to their plans each year. That means those who were happy with their plans for the past year might find themselves feeling very differently next year! So the first thing you need to do, no matter how satisfied you have felt with your health insurance, is to review your plan options.
- Make sure your primary physician, and any other specialists you see regularly, will still be covered under your plan
- Check your plan’s formulary (list of covered prescription drugs) to be sure medications you use regularly will continue to be covered next year
- Examine items such as premiums, co-pays, and deductibles to see if your costs will change
Consider other potential changes. Even if you’re happy with your Medicare plan, what if your needs change? Talk to your doctor about any upcoming tests, treatments, or surgeries you might need next year. As for prescription medications, are your current drugs working well? If your doctor is considering a new prescription option, you should check to see if it will be covered under your Medicare plan. This helps to ensure that you can always access the most up-to-date medical treatments.
Give us a call. It can be tough to evaluate your current plan and compare it to other options, when health insurance terminology is so complicated. We specialize in helping our clients compare healthcare plans and choose one that best suits their needs, so give us a call. After just one appointment you can conquer Medicare Open Enrollment season, and move forward confident in your healthcare options for 2017.